I sat there, torn between the urge to flee and the desperate need to confront this cursed deal to settle my debt. My head bowed, I stared at the file in my hands, its weight anchoring my lap—a lifeline for my future, or my father's. My mind churned, sinking into a black abyss of despair. Save myself or save him? The choice drowned me in a dark, viscous tide."Miss Martinez?" His voice sliced through my thoughts, pulling me back to reality. Adrian tilted his head, his piercing gaze probing my face, searching for cracks in my resolve. I swallowed hard. "I'll go to his house tomorrow."A satisfied smile curled his lips, followed by a rich, chilling chuckle. Before I could react, two sharp knocks interrupted us
'Knock knock'.
Our heads turned toward the door. A man with a scarred eye and a streak of white in his hair stood there, awaiting permission. Adrian raised an eyebrow."Boss," the man said, voice low, "we caught that bastard Huck. The one who ran off without paying." my gaze return back to adrain, but Without a glance in my direction, Adrian rose from his chair and strode out. My eyes trailed him until he vanished from sight. A lump formed in my throat. Whoever Huck was, I knew he was about to face something horrific. The manic glint in Adrian's eyes earlier had told me everything—his smile was that of a predator savoring its prey, ready to devour without a flicker of remorse.I left alone in the silent office debating whether I should step out of the room Or not ,soon a bloodcurdling scream shattered the silence, a raw mix of agony and sobs echoing through the empty hallway. No one was around except Adrian's men, their every breath audible in the stillness. My own breathing quickened, my legs frozen to the chair. The screams pinned me in place, numbing my hands. I couldn't stay here, yet I couldn't move I'm stuck in a worse situation where nothing working out for me. Slowly, I forced myself to stand and shuffled out of the room, dreading what I might see.I didn't want to look, but my gaze betrayed me, drifting to the scene on my left.
A man—Huck, I presumed—slumped in a splintered chair, his wrists mangled by ropes that gnawed through skin, exposing raw, glistening muscle beneath. His breaths were wet, choking rasps, each one a desperate gurgle as blood frothed in his throat, spraying flecks of crimson with every shudder. His body was a grotesque tapestry of ruin: cheeks flayed to the bone, oozing thick, congealing streams that reeked of copper and rot. His lips, reduced to pulpy shreds, dangled like rancid meat, revealing a maw of jagged, broken teeth caked in blackened blood and viscous drool that slithered down his chin, pooling in a rancid puddle below. His eyes—bloated, blood-crusted slits—quivered with a faint, animalistic terror, the whites stained red, barely clinging to life as his pulse throbbed weakly in his ravaged frame. The air was thick with the nauseating stench of decay and urine, pierced by the sickening splat of fluids dripping onto the stained concrete, each drop echoing like a heartbeat in the suffocating silence.
Standing beside him was Adrian, the devil incarnate, his black-gloved hands stained with violence, something like this give him pleasure to breathe the satisfy smile. Sunlight poured through the window behind him, casting a halo around his golden, wavy hair—a cruel contrast to the savagery of his actions. Adrian's lips twisted into a grotesque, feral grin, his eyes alight with unhinged glee as he carved into the man's thumb with a scalpel's chilling precision, the blade grinding against bone with a wet, splintering crack. Blood gushed in a torrid spray, painting the armchair in slick, scarlet streaks that oozed down to the floor, each drop hissing against the cold concrete like acid. The severed flesh hung in tattered strips, exposing jagged bone that protruded like a broken fang, pulsating with raw, quivering nerves. The man's scream clawed the air—a guttural, soul-shredding wail that seemed to tear from his very core—while Adrian, relishing the carnage, leaned closer, twisting the blade in the oozing stump to coax out a fresh spurt of crimson, his breath quickening with sadistic ecstasy.
"Aaaa… ugh… pl-please… Mr. Adr—"
Huck's plea dissolved into another scream, his eyes meeting mine for a fleeting, desperate moment. As soon our eyes meet bile rose in my throat. The sight of blood splattering, the sound of flesh tearing—it churned my stomach. My legs trembled, my hands shook, and a lump in my throat screamed for me to run, but I was paralyzed.
I couldn't breathe."You're still here? Our eyes meet .
Adrian's voice was calm, almost casual, as if he were discussing the weather. His eyes gleamed with sadistic pleasure, his lips still curved in that sickening smile. "Sorry, I'm tied up with… personal business. You can go, Miss Ceira. Everything's in the file. See you soon."
One of his men stepped toward me, his expression blank. My mind buzzed with panic. Was he coming to hurt me? To silence me? Every question spiraled, fueling my fear. I stepped back, trying to mask my trembling hands and shaky legs, but I knew I was failing.
Suddenly, Adrian burst into laughter, clutching his stomach as he doubled over, reveling in my terror. I couldn't believe he.. Just laughed? How can he laugh in this situation? My face sure have subtitles he could read everything easily.
"Haha, you're adorable, Miss Ceira. My man's just escorting you out."
He chuckled again, tilting his head with mock affection. "Don't make me fall for those cute reactions."
I stared at him, dumbfounded. What was he saying? His mood shifted abruptly as Huck squirmed in the chair, earning an annoyed glance from Adrian. He clamped a gloved hand over Huck's mouth, silencing him, then turned back to me. "Don't worry, Miss Ceira. I want plenty from you. No one's touching you… yet." His words hung in the air, heavy with unspoken threats. What did he mean by yet? Would they come for me later? When? Where? Another pile of question grip in my mind.
"You're worth more than this," he added, his voice dripping with menace. "Now~, don't tempt me with those looks. See you soon~."
Before I could respond, his man gripped my arm and guided me out. Once outside the building, he released me and disappeared back inside. Once I'm out my knees buckled, and I collapsed to the ground, gasping for air. My lungs burned as I filled them, but the thought of my father enduring the same fate as Huck made me vomit. My head spun, vision blurring, everything heavy, pain, uncomfortablility and distorted."I can't… I can't let this happen…" I gasped, clutching my chest, struggling to steady my breathing. I slowly get on my knees I run my own chance keep chanting me to breathe myself , after filling enough air in my lungs I take last long breathe and wipe my sweaty face.
Summoning every ounce of courage, I composed myself. I scanned the secluded forest area—only Adrian's black sedan and a Suzuki sat nearby. No one else was around. I rinsed my mouth with water, spat it out, and forced my legs to carry me out of the woods. On the street, I flagged down a taxi and sank into the backseat, the world outside a haze.An hour later, I stood at my father's door, wiping sweat from my face and plastering on a smile. I rang the bell. Five seconds later, Papa opened the door, his warm grin greeting me.
"Honey, I've been waiting for you!"
He maneuvered his wheelchair back to let me in."Sorry, I got held up. The interview took longer than expected," I lied.
He thought I'd been job hunting after losing my last position. If he knew who I'd met today, he'd never let me return to that place. Worse, he'd try to use his retirement savings to pay off the debt. I couldn't let that happen. His hard-earned money was for him, not to bail me out. He'd already done enough for me—more than I could ever repay and after mom disappearance in my life he trying to play both roles. And so, driven by my own selfish need to protect him, I hid the truth, burying the horrors of today deep within me. I closed the door behind me and walking in the kitchen